Research 2

“Self-portrait 2” depicts a middle-aged man (approximately 30-35 years old) wearing a hat. His head is turned to the left and it is slightly tilted forward.

“Self-portrait 3” depicts a young man (20-25 years old) wearing a hat. His head and torso are turned to the right. His head is hardly tilted.

“Self-portrait 2”

Raphael Santi (Raphael)

“Self-portrait 3”

Raphael Santi (Raphael)

“Self-portrait 2”

Raphael Santi (Raphael)

“Self-portrait 3”

Raphael Santi (Raphael)

Evaluating the angle of the head tilt and the head turn

“Self-portrait 2”

Raphael Santi (Raphael)

“Self-portrait 3”

Raphael Santi (Raphael)

Visual juxtaposition of the features.

Matching features are marked in red.

“Self-portrait 2”

Raphael Santi (Raphael)

“Self-portrait 3”

Raphael Santi (Raphael)

Visual juxtaposition has revealed the following general matching features: an oval face shape, medium fullness of the face, in general average facial features, height of the nose bridge as well as the following specific features:

Differences between these faces are in hair configuration (straight and wavy), eye to eyebrow distance (medium and large) as well as the width of the eyebrow head (medium and great).

“Self-portrait 2”

Raphael Santi (Raphael)

“Self-portrait 3”

Raphael Santi (Raphael)

Visual juxtaposition of the features. Different features are marked in blue.

The revealed differences may be explained by age-related changes of the face in the paintings, by the lifestyle (e.g. sparseness of the eyebrows). Different eye to eyebrow distance may be the result of either age-related changes or the emotion depicted on the young man’s face which makes his eyebrow raised.

The stated matching features are stable and individual. They suffice to draw a conclusion that the same face is depicted in the pictures in different life stages.